Fast Break

College football

Bird will play for Idaho State

Former University of Idaho running back Jayson Bird has decided to play one final year of football … at Idaho State University.

It required a month-long NCAA appeals process, but as of Thursday, Bird is officially a member of the Idaho State Bengals. ISU opens the season at Boise State on Aug. 30, then at Idaho in the Kibbie Dome the following Saturday.

Bird is dropping from an FBS (formerly Div. 1-A) to FCS (1-AA) school with just one year of eligibility remaining. If an athlete has graduated and still has eligibility left, he or she can transfer down and enroll in a graduate program that is not offered at his or her original institution, according to an Idaho State news release.

Idaho does not have an athletic administration master’s program, but Idaho State does. Bird is currently enrolled in it.

Bird ran for 1,551 yards and 17 scores in his injury-riddled four years at Idaho.

Baseball

Hunter makes rocky debut

Tommy Hunter, who played with the Spokane Indians last season after being a supplemental first-round pick in the 2007 Major League Baseball entry draft, made his major league debut with the Texas Rangers Friday night.

Hunter started and lasted five innings, giving up eight hits, six runs – all earned – and struck out four in a no-decision. The right-hander also walked two.

He threw 87 pitches, 52 for strikes.

Hunter allowed home runs to Scott Rolen and Lyle Overbay and left the game trailing 6-2. But the Rangers rallied for four runs in the bottom of the fifth to take Hunter off the hook for a loss.

Hunter was a combined 11-8 with a 3.56 ERA in 22 starts at three levels of the minor leagues this season.

“I need to be sure to do the same as every place else,” Hunter told mlb.com Thursday night. “Do the things I do: Throw strikes and throw them with three pitches. That’s what I do. They told me not to change anything.”

College football

WSU tickets on sale today

Washington State University single-game tickets for home games in Pullman will go on sale today at 10 a.m., the school announced.

Fans can buy tickets online only this weekend. Phone sales and in-person sales start Monday.

WSU opens its Pullman schedule against California on Sept. 6.